Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Southern Illinois University
MVC Championship
Sayyalinh Finishes Second at MVC Championship; Dawgs End Season on High Note
04/22/2026 | 11:21:00 | Women's Golf
The Southern Illinois women's golf team wrapped up its season at the MVC Championship with a seventh-place finish, improving one spot from 2025. The Salukis posted a team score of +95 for the tournament.
The highlight of the week came from junior Kayla Sayyalinh, who capped off an impressive season with a runner-up finish against the conference's top competition. Sayyalinh finished at +13 overall, carding rounds of +7, +4, and an impressive +2 in the final round— the lowest score of the day among all competitors. She closes the season with three top-10 finishes, including one top-two result.
Calli Smith (28th, +27) and Allie Santos (27th, +26) also placed inside the top 30, while Amelia Zingler turned in one of her strongest performances of the season, finishing 37th at +31. Senior Ella Overstreet concluded her collegiate career with a 43rd-place finish at +35.
As a team, the Salukis end the season with three top-10 finishes and one top-three result, showing steady growth throughout the year.
Head coach Sam Sambursky praised the team's development and consistency over the course of the season.
"I'm really proud of our effort this year," Sambursky said. "We made a lot of progress and became a more consistent team. We're just getting started and will keep improving heading into next year. Kayla placing second in the conference is the highest finish we've had in many years. I'm excited to have four of our five players returning and to see what we can accomplish."
With a strong core returning and a talented recruiting class incoming—including Poppy Norcott and Taylor Pacheco—the Salukis are positioned to build on their momentum heading into the 2026–27 season.
Players Mentioned
